We’re glad he’s gone‚ says Public Servants Association over Apleni resignation

23 July 2018 - 16:46 By Theto Mahlakoana
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The Public Servants Association says it is please that out-going Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni is leaving the department
The Public Servants Association says it is please that out-going Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni is leaving the department
Image: ESA ALEXANDER

The Public Servants Association (PSA) has welcomed Home Affairs Director General Mkhuseli Apleni’s resignation‚ saying he was unfit to head the department.

In a statement released on Monday following Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba’s announcement that Apleni was leaving the public service for Discovery Bank‚ the trade union said it had little regard for him.

Tensions between Apleni came to head in 2017 during a protracted court battle over the department’s unilateral change of its working hours that forced employees to report for duty on weekends.

“Apleni…will unfortunately be remembered by the PSA for especially his unfair implementation of weekend working hours without compensation for employees of the Department of Home Affairs.

"Apleni misused taxpayers’ money by dragging the PSA to every court‚ including the Constitutional Court and still lost‚” said PSA Deputy General Manager‚ Tahir Maepa.

Apleni has been Home Affairs DG since 2009.

In 2017‚ he was suspended by then Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize for alleged insubordination among other charges which he fought against in court and won.

Maepa said he hoped Gigaba would apply due-diligence when he appoints the new DG.

Gigaba said on Monday the process would take up to 3 months‚ adding that he would either get another DG in the public service to transfer to his department or advertise the post.

Meanwhile‚ the DA said it would still hold Apleni accountable over the naturalisation of five Gupta family members‚ despite his resignation.

Apleni was the DG of Home Affairs when Gigaba approved the naturalisation of the controversial Gupta family which has been linked to mass scale corruption in the country’s state institutions.

The party said the resignation was long overdue‚ adding that Apleni’s tenure was characterised by disasters.

“During his nearly 10-year tenure‚ he presided over a litany of disasters such as granting several members of the Gupta family citizenship and compromised national security when the Gupta wedding guests landed at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in 2013‚ among others‚” said the party’s Shadow Minister of Home Affairs Haniff Hoosen.


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